The Gladiators
by MistAndMagic
Summary: Roman Gladiator-ish AU, where Joan and Germain never got together.


Scathach

I cross my arms over my chest, lip pulled back in a bit of a snarl as I survey the arena for a moment. Gods, I want my swords back, but all I have to work with are the two gladii strapped across my back in the style of a Dimachaeri. No matter, I could kill every man in front of me with my bare hands and besides, I'm only here under grandmother's orders- the damn witch wanted someone to do her recon work for her, and apparently, her granddaughter is a wonderful choice. Not that I had any say in the matter. I spot Joan across the arena, holding her own easily, and I grin as I watch her send the trainer tumbling to the ground before making my way over to her. This shadowrealm is almost an exact copy of ancient Rome, and she wanted to come with me when I told her where I was going and what I would be doing, so I said yes. Seems like it was a good choice, she's been winning almost every night and seems to be enjoying herself, especially exploring the city after everyone else is asleep. I'm glad she came along.

"Bonjour, Joan!" I call as I get closer, and she looks up with a grin, pushing her short brown hair out of her face as she takes a brief break. "Look who finally decided to show up." She teases me, and I roll my eyes, nudging her with my shoulder. "Lay off." I mutter, but she's still chuckling, and I just shake my head at her.

"C'mon, let's spar. I haven't had a single good match since I got here." I nudge Joan again. "Come onnnn." She pretends to consider it. "Only if you say the magic word." She says, and I snort. "I'm not 5 Joan… Oh, fine. Please?" With that, I draw my swords and the two of us go at it in the very end of the arena. I push her, trying to find a hole in her defenses as our blades fly, only paying attention to each other and none to the people now watching. I finally trap her sword and disarm her, sending the blade flying, then I grunt as her foot catches me in the stomach, knocking me on my ass. "Oh, fuck." I mutter, rubbing my chest before I get back to my feet. "You're evil." I grumble, and she grins. "Every woman for herself." She responds cheerfully as she goes to retrieve her sword.

I spend the rest of the afternoon training with her and the other men, switching between teaching and learning until we're called to dinner before the fights start that night. All of us make our way inside and sit down at the long tables filling the main hall, dishing up plates, and soon chatter and the occasional rowdy song fills the air- they're all acutely aware that this could be their last night alive. Joan sits next to me, her head on my shoulder as I pick at the vegetables on my plate with one hand, the other arm wrapped around her shoulders, both of us quiet.

"Long day, and it's not even over yet." I say to her eventually, and she smiles slightly. "No kidding." She mutters in return, straightening up and starting to eat as I finish off my food and prop my elbows on the table, chin in my hands as I watch the chaos that surrounds us. Shit.

I duck as half an egg goes flying over my head, followed a minute later by a very large man barreling over to the other side of the room. Fucking hell, they're literal children. Eventually, everyone does settle back down and finish eating, and by then, I can hear the crowds starting to fill the stadium. We're herded into the depths of the stadium a couple minutes later and outfitted with armor and weapons. I finally get my own swords back and I take them happily, feeling a bit better with their solid weight in my hands. I check the roster for tonight as the first pair goes, and I've paired with one of the new guys, one that I don't know. Maybe I'll finally have a decent challenger, we'll see. I doubt it. Right now, I'm the champion of this arena, unbeaten since I arrived despite the fact I've had probably a good hundred battles, each one with a different person. Joan's fighting someone I've already been up against and he shouldn't be a problem for her.

Tomorrow, I need to start actual recon. The guards have started trusting me and letting down their defenses, so it should be easier to sneak around- and the faster I find out what Grandmother wants to know, the faster I get out of here and back to normal life. She sent me to see whether an ancient artifact, the Japanese sword Kusanagi, was in this shadowrealm, and more specifically, within this stadium. Rumor has it there's a trove beneath the arena, buried in the last place anyone would ever think to look for it, things stolen by Gwydion and Morrigan over millennia. I don't doubt that the alleged trove is there, Morrigan is more like a magpie than a crow, but whether or not that specific sword will be there is anyone's guess.

Eventually it's my turn and I let out a slow breath as I walk out into the arena, raising my arms and letting out a roar in response to the crowd's cheer, expression becoming calculating and angry and hard as I turn to face my competitor, tuning out the commentator as he explains who's going to be fighting and people place last-minute bets. He's at least 6 foot and made entirely of muscle. We get the go-ahead to fight and lunge towards each other, my swords flying as I slip around him. He's huge but not fast and I manage to open up cuts on his legs and side fairly easily as he tries to keep up with me, sparks occasionally falling to the sand of the arena as my blades meet his shield. I eventually snarl and just lunge, yanking his feet out from under him and disarming him before tossing my own blades a fair distance away and going to work. My bare hands are just as deadly as any weapons, and he's soon screaming in pain, shoulder dislocated and blood gushing from his nose and eye. I grin triumphantly as I stand, soaking in the screams from the crowd, then turn to face the general, waiting for the thumbs up or thumbs down that decides whether this man lives or dies.

He considers for a moment and then slowly gives a thumbs up and I step back, bowing my head in respect with my swords held loosely by my side. I have another two fights before I'm finished for the night and once I am, I move to join Joan back in the prep area. She tosses me a towel before we both head for the baths to clean up and relax a bit, walking together in comfortable silence with our armor creaking and clinking lightly. This city may be an almost exact replica of ancient Rome, but they have better running water- showers and baths- and it's hot too.


End file.
